Welcome back to 'Camelot'

In December, he sat in a chair in the lobby of the Lyric Stage Company of Boston, preparing to make his pre-show remarks for a performance of “Murder for Two.” He never made his entrance.

The next thing Veloudos remembers, EMTs were strapping him into a stretcher in preparation for a dash to the hospital. Noticing that Veloudos had reawakened, one of the EMTs said, “Welcome back.”

Veloudos would soon learn that an advanced infection in his leg, the result of his ongoing battle with Type 2 diabetes, had nearly killed him.

“The doctor said that I could either keep my leg and die, or have it amputated and live a relatively normal life,” remembers Veloudos.

The surgery to amputate his left leg below the knee came a week after his arrival at the hospital. And now his long road to recovery takes a dramatic step forward, as Veloudos returns to his passion, directing a new adaptation of “Camelot,” running May 19 to June 25 at the Lyric Stage Company of Boston.

Welcome back, indeed.

Rehearsal have been a form of therapy for Veloudos, “not just physical, but also mental,” he says.

He’s just beginning to learn how to ply his trade in his new circumstances. While in the process of being fitted for a prosthetic, he spends a fair amount of time in a wheelchair.

“A couple times I’ve been frustrated” in rehearsals, says Veloudos. “But I have pretty good maneuverability in the wheelchair. As time goes on, I’ll be walking more.”

Veloudos, the producing artistic director at the Lyric Stage Company, appreciates that he can continue to work in his chosen profession, even though he has lost some mobility.

The man can sound understandably weary as he recounts his physical challenges, past and present. But his mood lifts noticeably when the subject turns to “Camelot.”

During Veloudos’ long tenure in Boston theater, he has shown an interest in new plays that provoke, as well as the Sondheim musicals that broke the mold. But it’s part of the charm of Veloudos, with his big personality and a sometimes-gruff exterior, that he also has a soft spot for the old American musicals.

“I’ve always loved the music in ‘Camelot,’” says Veloudos, referencing the Lerner and Loewe score that includes “If Ever I Would Leave You,” “C’est Moi” and “Camelot.” “And, as a child of the ’60s, I’ve always been interested in that connection between ‘Camelot’ and the Kennedy legacy.”

But, just because he has a deep appreciation for the musical, that doesn’t mean he’s blind to its flaws.

“One thing that’s always driven me crazy is that it’s three and a half hours long,” says Veloudos. “There’s tons of subplots and the dancers dance for days.”

That’s one of the reasons Veloudos was so intrigued by this new adaptation by David Lee. He saw a production of it in 2011 in California.

“I heard it was an eight-person ‘Camelot,’ and I thought, ‘What?’ ” remembers Veloudos. “It was fascinating.”

As Veloudos planned a production, he got permission to add three more female roles (he thought it was strange that Guenevere was the only woman in Camelot).

But the most compelling part of the adaptation is the way Lee has stripped the musical to its core.

“The sense you get is that we’re sharing this story with the audience,” says Veloudos. “It’s like we’re passing down this legend, just the way the story has been passed down” from medieval folklore, to the Alfred Lord Tennyson poem, to T. H. White’s novel “The Once and Future King,” to the Lerner & Loewe musical.

This adaptation “is fascinating,” adds the director. “And it moves so well.”

It’s so fleet – Veloudos estimates it’ll run about two hours, including intermission – that there’s room for two more songs from the original score that rarely get performed.

This lean concept encourages anachronistic design choices. Gone are men in tights and women in pointy hats.

“It can be a little more modern,” says Veloudos.

Modern isn’t a word that most people associate with “Camelot,” the story of a dramatic love triangle between King Arthur, Guenevere and Lancelot. But Veloudos believes it’s the kind of story that never gets dated.

“When is a fantasy dated?” he asks. “It’s a medieval, fantastical story. I don’t think that ever gets dated.”

The theater, no doubt, has been a kind of Camelot for Veloudos, never more so than now, as he continues his recovery. And the decades-long investment he’s made in helping to build a theater community in Boston continues to pay dividends. The Boston theater family has rallied around Veloudos in his moment of need.

“It’s been amazing, amazing,” says Veloudos. “It takes a village not only to raise a child, but also to support me. And I’m really happy I’m in this village.”

One example of that support came on April 23, when the Lyric honored Veloudos’ 20th anniversary with the theater by throwing him a celebratory bash.

“I told everyone I was going to walk into that event,” says Veloudos. “And I did. Not completely under my own power, but close enough.”

“Camelot” plays May 19 to June 25 at the Lyric Stage Company of Boston. Tickets start at $25. Call 617-585-5678, or visit lyricstage.com.

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